said that the 'satan' figure in our Bible and in the Christian faith is an invention of Zarathustra, a Persian prophet of the 6th century before Christ, in his attempt to explain evil. It is then supposed that the 'devil' became part of Jewish thinking after Cyrus the Persian conquered the Babylonian empire which contained an exiled Israel.

But Job
long predates
Zarathustra!

The

story goes that because under Cyrus Israel was permitted to return to their land they also took this foreign idea of a 'satan' figure with them and incorporated it into their holy scriptures. However this theory simply does not stand up to proper investigation and is not true to an honest account of history.

In

the quote from Job above, the phrase "sons of God" is an example of Semitic idiom in which 'son-of' or 'sons-of' turns the attached noun into an adjective: that is, 'sons of God', means 'divine beings' whom we today call 'angels'. So the above quote describes angelic accountability to the Most High being the scene for a second challenge from Satan in the book of Job concerning the moral basis of God's relationship to Job (allegedly bribing him with blessings), that is – the ethics of God's rule.

description of Satan challenging God on moral grounds, in a writing of such antiquity as the book of Job, is most significant. By its language use and its content, the book of Job appears to even predate the Exodus of Israel from Egypt. The most probable source for the writing is via Jethro, high priest of Midian, with whom Moses spent 40 years as son-in-law and in whose general area the man Job had lived and from which his friends had come. In this Book of Job the figure of Satan and his slander are central to its whole message.

of the nonsense idea of Zarathustrian influence in our Old Testament, an idea which is even used today by some modern Jewish rabbis to deny any messianic teaching in Holy Scripture as being nothing more than Persian influence on Jews looking for a hero.

In

our New Testament, the Lord Jesus rebuked the Judeans who had believed in Him, but who contended with Him over their superior spiritual status as descendants of Abraham, with these withering words:

"You people are from your father the devil, and you want to do what your father desires.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him.
Whenever he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies."

John 8:44

This is Christ's perspective on Satan – an ingenious liar whose nature it is so to do in the destruction of people's lives.

However,

Satan's most significant manipulation of the evidences is not only in human minds, but at the hub of the moral government of our universe: before God's judicial throne. This is where the real issue is played out in the Book of Job, and it continues to be so today until Satan is cast out of that function – as the 'accuser of the brethren', our fellow Christians. Therefore the Bible promises that Christ's return to establish His kingdom will be introduced by such an event:

"The salvation and the power and the kingdom (rule) of our God, and the ruling authority of His Christ,
have now come,because the accuser of our brothers (fellow believers),
the one who accuses them day and night before our God,
has been thrown down."

This is the satanic activity that then will end!

Revelation 12:10

This is

the accusation-activity of the centuries, which Christ's prayerful intercession had countered before God concerning Simon Peter, as His apostles had moved toward their greatest test with Christ's impending arrest. So Jesus warned Simon Peter:

"Simon, Simon, pay attention!Satan has demanded [of God] to have you all, to sift you like wheat,
but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.
When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

Luke 22:31-32.

Christ's

intercession opened the way for the restoration of these key men after the brutal exposure of their weaknesses during their post-arrest scattering. This activity of Satan was not new. It is also presented as the unseen background in the restoration of Israel's post-exile priesthood. The prophet Zechariah reports:

"Next I saw Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord,
with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him."

So why does God tolerate it.

Zechariah 3:1.

Because

God is righteous! As Judge over all and the Source of all existence, God rules fairly, impartially, without bribes-for-blessings (the accusation against Job) either way.

Or

as the Apostle Paul expressed to God's people, the general principle of God's discipline in His universe:

"We are ready to punish every act of disobedience,when your obedience is complete."

2 Corinthians 10:6

But the

time will then have come (in the completion of the Church's obedience, for the Bride has made herself ready), when:

"...that huge dragon
— the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world —
was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him."

Revelation 19:7

Revelation 12:9

These

'angels' (literally 'messengers') of Satan are what is otherwise referred to as 'evil spirits' or 'demons'. The Bible indicates that these forces of Satan are tactically deployed according to the political and regional divisions of human society (Dan.10:13,20). These non-physical agencies of Satan work from their base 'in the heavens', that is, they are not terrestrial:

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers,
against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens."

Ephesians 6:12

These are brought down with their master!

Until then, we are part of God's work in making Christ's enemies a footstool for His feet, for God said – 'until'!

"Sit down at My right hand until I make Your enemies Your footstool!"

Psalm 110:1.

Therefore

then:

"For though we live as human beings, we do not wage war according to human standards,
for the weapons of our warfare are not human weapons, but are made powerful by God for tearing down strongholds.
We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God,
and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ."

2 Corinthians 10:3.

Satan's

accusations before the Throne continue to require rebuttal today. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Throne on High as our gracious Advocate or Intercessor for more than simply our spiritual survival. For this reason Paul instructs the believers at Rome, whom he had not even as yet met, that:

"Your obedience is known to all and thus I rejoice over you.
But I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
The God of peace will quickly crush Satan under your feet.".

Romans 16:19-20.

'Under their feet' only by their walk of obedience!

Thus, even the vicious intent of Satan is allowed to serve God's good purpose in pruning the Christian tree of those who do not bear righteous fruit (Jn.15:2), as its leaders accordingly lead:

"...turn this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord."

1 Corinthians 5:5.

And,

as Paul demonstrated with:

"Hymenaeus and Alexander,
whom I handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme."

1 Timothy 1:20.

But always remember – the classic strategy of Satan concerning Christians is –